Automatic fire-extinguisher.



H. 0. O. KAST & L. G. LATHROP. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER. APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 4, 1908.

920,340. Patented May 4, 1909.

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UNITED STATE PAIENT CFFIQE,

HENRY CALVIN CLAY KAST AND LESTER C. LATHROP, OF BARNUM, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed November 4, 1908. Serial No. 461,044.

T 0 allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY CALVIN CLAY KAs'r and LESTER C. Lx'rnnor, citizens of the United States, residing at Barnum, in the county of Crawford and State of lvisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire- Extinguishers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will e11- able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic fire extinguishers and our object is to provide means for depositing a certain chemical into a tank containing fluid when a certain temperature has been reached on the exterior of the extinguisher.

A further object is to provide means for maintaining the receptacle holding the chem.- ical at a point above the fluid, and providing the holding means of a substance readily susceptible to heat and a still further object is to provide a suitable spraying device, whereby the contents of the extinguisher will be delivered into the outer atmosphere and in all directions.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view through the extinguisher showing the chemical receptacle secured in position at. the upper end of the extinguisher in full lines and the position -of the same in dotted lines when released and lowered into the extinguisher, and, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the extinguisher.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a tank, which may be constructed in any suitable manner and is provided at its upper end with a closure 2, the crown of said closure being preferably dome-like, whereby the highestportion of the closure will be elevated a. distance above the upper edge of the tank and the closure is removably secured to the tank in any preferred manner, as by providing threads on the outer face of the tank and the inner face of the flange of the closure.

Extending upwardly from the central portion of the closure 2, is a thimble 3, which thimble is fixed to the cover in any preferred manner and immediately over an opening l, whereby a stem 5 carried by a cup-like receptacle (5 may enter said thimble from the inner face of the closure, the stem 5 being preferably formed of wire, which is introduced through a ring 7 to a point midway its length and the extended portions'thereof twisted together.

The receptacle 6 is designed to be filled with a chemical, which, when emptied into the contents of the tank, will cause an expansion and force the contents from the tank and to normally hold the receptacle in juxtaposition with the closure 2, until such time as a fire occurs, the thimble 3 is filled with any suitable form of wax while in a molten state and the upper end of the stem 5 inserted therein before. the wax is completely solidified, so that the wax will readily engage the depressions formed between the twisted portions and when hardened, will firmly hold the receptacle adjacent the upper end of the tank.

Previous to seating the stem in the thimble 3, a gasket 8 is preferably introduced between the face of the closure and the end of the receptacle, whereby the fluid in the tank will be prevented from entering the receptacle until such time as the stem is released from the thimble.

"1. o insure that the receptacle will deposit the chemical in the liquid contained in the tank, the receptacle is provided with a weight 9 at one side and adjacent the upper edge thereof, so that as soon as the stem is released from the thimble, the weighted edge of the receptacle will descend more rapidly and turn the receptacle side-wise, or in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby causing the chemical to leave the receptacle and connningle with the liquid in the tank. As soon as the chemical comes in contact with the liquid in the tank, an expansion is created, which will force the contents of the tank through pipes 10 provided for that purpose, said pipes being carried by the closure 2 and extending into the tank to a point adjacent the lower end thereof and are provided at their lower ends with conical flanges 11, while at the upper ends of the pipes are provided nozzles 12, which are preferably globular and provided with a plurality of openings through wlnch the fluid passes to the outer atmosphere and as the engagement of the chemical with the fluid the nozzles Wlll cause the fluid to travel to a considerable distance after leaving the nozzles.

In practice the tank is filled with any suitable fluid, preferably water, to a point adjacent its upper end, when the receptacle containin the chemical secured to the closure and the closure then introduced over the end of the tank and secured thereto, as shown. The extinguisher is then placed at any suitable point and should a fire originate, the heat, when having reached a temperature at about 160 degrees, will melt the wax in the thinible and release the recentacle containing the chemical, whereupon the chemical will be deposited in the liquid in the tank and force the liquid through the pipes and nozzles attached thereto, thereby extinguishing the flames before they have gained material headway.

In view of the simplicity of our .lH'lpl'OVBCl extinguisher, the same can be very cheaply constructed and at the same time be very durable and eflicient and it will likewise be seen that the extinguisher can be located at any point desired and that if the tire originates in close proximity to the extinguisher, the deluge from the extinguisher will readily extinguish the blaze before it has gained material headway. It will also be seen that by securing the chemical in the extinguisher 1n the manner shown, the device will be automatically operated when a tire occurs.

hat We claim is:

A device of the character described, comprising a liquid holding tank, a closure therefor, means for the delivery of the contents of said tank therefrom, a receptacle applied to the under side of said closure, said receptacle having also a gasket interposed between itself and the aforesaid closure, a thimble applied to the upper surface of the first-referred to closure and opening through the latter and provided with a fusible substance, said receptacle having connected to the inner surface of its bottom a screw-threaded passing up through said closure and received by said thimble and held in the latter by said fusible substance, said receptacle being weighted laterally of said stem to effect the tilting of said receptaclelwhen released from said thimble.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names -;0 this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesse HENRY CALVIN CLAY KAST.

LESTER C. LATHROP.

\Vitnesses W. Snoonnnr,

BENJ. H. Kelsi.

l l l l l l l 

